Blood on the Water
by onoli
Summary: Ryan's a runaway. After weeks of walking, fighting, hiding and running, she's made it to Boston - more specifically, to the Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth. This story follows her journey from a runaway to a hero. (This will loosely be a following of the Main Quest from Fallout 4, as well as other adventures.)
1. Chapter 1

It had been weeks.

Ryan had been walking for weeks. She'd fought past raiders, sneaked around Deathclaws, evaded Yao Guai - every day had been harder than the last, but, she'd finally made it.

She stepped through the rubble and rock filled pathways filled with barriers and barricades manned by the guardians of the Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth. Sure, it wasn't the safest place for her to hide - a public space, where lots of eyes would be on someone like her - but they'd never risk looking for her here.

She knew her time in Diamond City wouldn't be easy. No one takes kindly to a mask-wearing stranger walking their streets, and it was made more than apparent by the various looks that were tossed her way by the guards manning the barricades. Invasive, prying looks, that tried to chop away at her exterior to find out what she was hiding beneath that mask, and why she was bothering to hide it in the first place.

She knew she'd have to ignore the looks. Being found wasn't worth the risk.

"I know you're in there, McDonough! Eugh-!", a voice bellowed from behind the final barricade, followed by a low, dull thump. As Ryan crossed the last line of defence, her eyes carried to the gargantuan green gate that stood between her and the biggest, greatest city in the Commonwealth - but it was shut. A woman in a red coat stood besides it, angrily gesturing and speaking in to an intercom. It didn't take her long to notice Ryan, though - and she motioned the wastelander over with a quick gesture.

"Hey, you want in to Diamond City, right?", the woman asked. She seemed like this wasn't her first time on the wrong side of an intercom - an almost knowing grin on her face. She waited expectantly for Ryan to answer.

"...yeah. I do.", Ryan answered flatly with a nod. She dusted off her armor with a flat palm and twisted her rifle around her body on its sling.

"Okay, good. Just follow my lead,", the red-coated woman responded. "Oh- oh, what's that? You're a trader? Down from Quincy-".

The woman didn't get to finish her sentence before Ryan interrupted. A quick, sharp tone that immediately caused the skilled liar to stop in her tracks.

"I'm not from Quincy, and I've never been there.".

"...okay, uh- uh- it was- Bunker Hill, then? Yeah?", she asked - almost hesitantly, as if expecting another snapping sentence to come from Ryan. Though, this time, Ryan didn't respond - simply looked to the statue outside the gate, waiting.

"Bunker Hill, yeah- so, Sullivan, are you going to let us in, or are you going to be the one to tell crazy Myrna that she's missing out on all these supplies?".

The intercom let out a response that Ryan didn't even care to listen for. Her eyes focused on the statue but her mind wandered.

_"Ryan, you assignment isn't a request.", Baker spat out towards Ryan, venom heavy on his tongue. "Now, go get suited up - you're on Armor duty for this operation."._

_Ryan stared at Baker for a few moments before he chest deflated with a heavy, defeated sigh. She nodded her head and span on her heels - stepping through the abandoned building to reach her assigned uniform - a suit of T-45 Power Armor. _

_The assault on the town had been going on for days. The Minutemen were holding the Gunners back with everything they had - even managing to kill one of the Privates that got a bit too big for his boots._

_Ryan hadn't wanted to be part of this operation against Quincy since she knew it was even a plan. She knew that the Gunners and the Minutemen had warred and been enemies for years, but the Minutemen had saved her. She might not have gone done an honorable life path, ending up as a mercenary hired by the Gunners, but she'd never wanted to hurt the Minutemen. _

_Ryan finally reached the steed she'd be taking on patrol. The suit was painted green with the symbol of her organization painted on to the chest piece in white paint, and the metal had even been polished. She could see her reflection, staring back at her - telling her to stop what she's doing, and just run._

_But she couldn't. Not yet._

_She stepped around the armor and twisted the mechanism on the back, causing it to open. She took a deep breath and slipped in to the suit, as the sounds of gunfire being exchanged sounded out from outside. It was almost drowned out by the whirring of the suit of Power Armor as it closed around Ryan's body and locked her in to place. She'd been stationed here for a few days - gunfire was exchanged every hour, at the minimum._

_She stomped through the building and walked outside, greeted by a squad of four men and her commander, Baker, waiting for her. _

_"Mally, bring her a shredder!", Baker barked towards one of the nearby privates, who quickly nodded and ran off to one of the nearby bombed out buildings, where the Gunners had been storing their supplies for the assault._

_"Now, Sinclair,", Baker said to Ryan, stepping over to her and planting his hand on the forearm of her tank. "You'll be leading these four men on a routine patrol around the city, making sure that none of the Minutemen inside are trying to escape. Got it?", he asked her, but it sounded more like a demand._

_"Got it.", she responded - reaching up to take ahold of her helmet. With a small twist and a pop, she yanked it off - tossing it to the side. "I hate the helmets on these suits, they make it hard to breathe.", she says to Baker, who had, since she'd tossed the helmet to the ground, been staring at her with a bewildered expression._

_"That suit had just been polished, Corporal.", Baker snapped at her._

_"...yes, sergeant. Sorry, sergeant.", she was quick to reply. _

_Baker opened his mouth but no words came out, as a shout came out from behind him. "Sergeant!", the voice called - it was Private Mally, who had run off to get Ryan her tool of slaughter for this patrol. A CZ53 personal minigun._

_"Ah, good! You're good for something, than, Private Mally!", Baker barked at the private, stepping over to him to grab him by the sleeve of his fatigues and pull him over. "Sinclair - take Private Mally with you on your patrol. Maybe you can teach him a thing or two, mm? Now, Private, hand her that heat, unless you intend to use it yourself."._

_"Uh- yes sergeant!", Private Mally called out after his order, rushing over to Ryan to hand her the weapon. She took it and held it naturally, loading the belt from the already loaded drum in to the chamber of the assault weapon._

"Hey, you coming in?", the woman in the red coat shouted towards Ryan, snapping her out of her daydream. In her mind's absence, the gate to the city had opened, revealing the booths inside that led to the once-was stadium. Ryan gave a small nod and stepped towards the woman, making sure the bandana that covered her face was tight enough.

"-hey, are you... okay? There's blood- all over your shirt, and you just stared at a statue for eight minutes.", the woman says when Ryan draws near, but the wastelander just respond with yet another nod.

"...it wasn't an easy journey getting here, is all.", Ryan responds.

"Well, uh- I'd love to hear about it! I'm Piper, you see- a reporter. I run Publick Occurences just down the steps, much to the mayor's dismay. Come- I'll interview you.", Piper says, a small smile creeping on to her features.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Piper.", Ryan answers with a small shake of her head - moving for the steps to the Great Green Jewel.

"Come on, please?", Piper asks, following after the wanderer. "It will only take a moment- it's part of a bigger issue! I can keep your name out of it!", she further offers. That, however, brings Ryan to a stop.

"...I'll do it,", she begins - holding up a finger, as if telling the reported not to get too excited just yet, "-but I need somewhere to stay tonight. That a deal?", she asks.

"Of course!", Piper responds, "My couch is comfortable- trust me, I've fallen asleep on it enough times.".

The pair move up the steps.


	2. Chapter 2

The city was everything Ryan had been told it was.

It was bright. Houses and doorways were lit up with strings of small lights or lamps screwed on to the flimsy looking walls. Roofs were made of thin sheet metal that had rusted over hundreds of years of wear and tear, whilst walls were made of the same material as well as patched together planks and boards of wood.

People here were surviving, and living their lives without killing, hunting, or fighting for caps. It wasn't a life Ryan was unfamiliar with, but, she hadn't been familiar with it since she was a kid.

"Hey- you coming?", Piper asked Ryan quietly - stopping a few steps ahead of her to turn back.

"Yeah- yeah, I'm coming.", Ryan answers, stepping after her and down the stairs.

Before the two of them move in to the building with a big, well-lit 'Publick Occurences' sign, Piper's stopped by a small girl who she soon refers to as 'little sis'. Ryan didn't bother to pry, or to listen in - she continued to idly scan over the city, fishing a cigarette out of one of her pouches.

Diamond City was loud. Not the loud she was used to - this was 'lived in' noise. Voices chattering away, people laughing, the sound of dull, quiet machinery - the hum of civilization. It was a lot for her to take in - she found it hard to focus on faces, on people in the crowd - but she did notice something.

Up ahead, speaking to what must have been a barber, were two men - each wearing USAF Combat Armor with a white skull emblazoned on the chest. Beneath that were the usual green fatigues - she knew who they were. Immediately she turned away, watching them from the corner of her eye.

They stood there talking for a few moments before expressing some less than happy feelings through hand gestures. One of them shook their head and the pair stepped off - walking over to where Piper, her sister, and Ryan stood.

"You,", one of the figures growled towards Piper - a rough voiced man with more than a few scars on his face, with his hair buzzed down to stubble on the sides, "You're Piper, yeah? You run the shitty newspaper here?".

"I- wouldn't call it shitty, but, yes, I run the newspaper. Why?", she asks them. The two step closer and Ryan steps further away, trying her best to make it look like idle steps towards the building opposite Piper's office.

"We're looking for someone.", the other Gunner adds on to his colleague's words - his voice was softer, but more commanding. Piper gave a nod and shot a quick look towards Ryan, who was now staring at the two from over her shoulder, and had her hand hovering far too close to the 10MM holstered on her thigh for someone that wasn't expecting a fight.

"I'm Sergeant Mitch, and this is Corporal Mally.", the harder spoken of the two said, before continuing, "We're looking for someone that betrayed us and took the lives of hard working men. Last we heard of her whereabouts, she was heading in to Boston.".

"Right, so- why- why are you asking me about this?", Piper asks them - her eyes flicking between Ryan and the pair of Gunners infront of her once again. Ryan softly, and slowly, shook her head - keeping her hand near the holstered pistol on her thigh.

"Because, you're an invasive, pushy journalist.", Sergeant Mitch retorts with venom on his tongue, "You know everything about this city. Now,", he begins, "-she's got black hair, brown eyes, Asian heritage. She has a scar on her chin that spreads on to her lip - it looks like an arrow.".

Piper shook her head. "Can't say that rings any bells, I'm afraid.", she's quick to answer.

Mitch lets out an angry sigh. "What a useful fucking journey this has been.", he growls out to no one in particular - slapping Mally on the back. "Come on, Mally- let's check Goodneighbor.". Mally responds with a quick nod, and the pair step off towards the stairs out of the stadium.

Though, for a second - the Corporal glances towards Ryan, who is still staring over her shoulder, and the pair lock eyes.

It was like time froze for her.

_"Mally, you'll be on rear.", Ryan ordered towards the Private as she stepped off to begin the patrol - leading them around the city, away from the siege camp the Gunners had set up. "Then, I want two men on either side of me. Understood?"._

_"Yes, Corporal!", the five men answered, quickly filing in to position around her._

_They walked for ten minutes before they reached the back of city of Quincy, where two Gunners were standing guard, shooting the shit. They were hardly paying attention to the buildings in front of them - instead, talking between themselves._

_"Alright, you five - you have five minutes to search the area. God knows these two aren't doing their job.", Ryan commands, which she gets two dirty looks from the guards for._

_Ryan turned around to stare at the city of Quincy. The only thing keeping them out right now were a few walls, but the walls wouldn't hold forever - and there were always going to be more men outside of them wanting in, then there would be inside willing to die to defend it. She hadn't grown up too far away from this city - being used as an instrument for the destruction of the city wasn't something she was fond of, at all._

_"CORPORAL!", one of the men shout out from the bushes, and it's soon followed by the sound of a tussle - but that lasts barely seconds. While the Corporal stays stood where she is, the rest of her patrol team rushes to the sound to assist the soldier that called for help._

_A few moments later, a dark skinned man emerged from the bushes - followed by four Gunners with their guns trained on his back. he had his hands up, his makeshift Laser Musket hanging from a sling around his neck in front of him. He was wearing a hat, half of the rim pinned in to the top, and a long, cream colored coat._

_"We found one trying to escape!", one of her men shouts from behind their captive. Ryan stared, silently, as the same Gunner rushed behind Garvey and pushed him to his knees in front of her._

_"...get back in to formation.", Ryan orders. Her men stare at her for a few moments, but when she raises her voice, bellowing out, "NOW!", they're quick to listen. Ryan turns to their captive, next, shuffling the Minigun in her hands to make it sit more comfortably._

_"Who are you?", she asks._

_"...Preston Garvey. Commonwealth Minutemen. I wasn't trying to escape- one of the people inside is sick, I was just trying to get to the houses nearby, find some meds-", Preston began, but he let his words trail off in to nothing._

_Ryan stared for a few seconds, her scrutinizing glare searching him up and down._

_"...why- why are you doing this, man? Just for some land? You're killing children, elderly people, is it all worth it?", Preston asks - looking right in to Ryan's eyes. _

_"Shut it!", one of the men behind her spits out, towards the Minuteman. Preston, does, however, do as he's asked - but so does everyone else, because Ryan's Minigun lets out a low whir as the barrels begin to spin, and the thing is hoisted in to a firing position._

_Time stood still for Corporal Sinclair. Was she really going to mercilessly gun down this man? Someone just trying to save some poor citizens of the Commonwealth? She's done some terrible things, committed some morally grey actions - but this was a simple question._

_She watched Preston close his eyes and grit his teeth as the barrels began to spin faster and faster. He was expecting to die._

_But was Ryan going to live her life as part of the group that slaughtered the citizens of Quincy?_

_Time had stood still - but the next few moments went by faster than anything else._

_Ryan span around - and the Minigun let loose it's violent, torrential rain of bullets. The five soldiers behind her never stood a chance - and before she gave the guards a chance to react, she'd turned the roaring machine on to them, too. They were minced within seconds._

_When Ryan stopped spraying lead, the silence that hung in it's place was deafening. She stared at the scene in awe, as did Preston - the pair of them both stunned by what she'd just done._

_"You- I-", Preston begins, but Ryan cuts him off with a sharp tone._

_"Get back in to the city. I can't save you all, but you better be able to help them, Minuteman.", she spits towards him - tossing the death machine on to the ground._

_"Yes- yes, thank you, thank you, I'll- I won't forget this.", Preston answers back, and he wastes no time in darting off back towards the wall._

_Ryan was left alone, next to the bodies of the men she'd just slaughtered. She could hear distant shouts - no doubt a call from Baker for people to investigate the ruckus. Ryan didn't have long to start clearing ground - so she ducked down and snatched a rifle from one of the bodies._

_That's when one of the corpses coughed._

Mally stared in to Ryan's eyes as he passed, but he didn't say anything. The Corporal and the Sergeant moved up the steps of Diamond City until the tunnel swallowed them, hiding them from sight. The hand hovering over her pistol relaxed, and Ryan wasted no time in moving for the door to Piper's home.

"I take it we should head- yep, yeah, uh-huh, my idea exactly.", Piper says as Ryan speed-walks past, following her in to her own home.

Not even Diamond City was safe for her.


End file.
